Urdhvamuka Paschimothanasana

Urdhvamuka Paschimothanasana

Upward Facing Intense West Stretch

Also known as the Urdhva Uttanasana, the forward fold exercises in yoga are very commonly performed and help in a number of areas of the well being of the body. One should be careful when attempting this pose as the forward folds require some amount of agility, especially in the midriff region.

Procedure:

1. Firstly begin with the Mountain Pose or the Tadasana.2. Once in the mountain pose, bend forward at your hips as you slowly exhale and let your hands move down to touch the ground.3. Slowly inhale and rise up to let only your fingertips touch the ground while your back remains parallel to the ground.4. Arch your spine a little and open up the chest to allow the sternum to reach the floor.5. Let your back stay flat and your legs remain straight as you slowly inhale to gaze to the ceiling.6.Continue to breathe slowly for 1-4 breaths before you get back to normal position.

Benefits:

Strengthens and also helps in the alignment of the spinal column. Besides this it also lengthens the spinal column It stretches the muscles in the feet and back of the legs. It opens up the area of the chest.Lengthens leg muscles, can help relieve backaches, and prevent hernia.As in imottanasana/forward fold, helps tone kidneys, and abdominal organs. Stretches the hamstrings on the back of the legs Stretches and lengthens the entire spine Massages the internal organs, especially the digestive organs
Relieves digestive problems such as constipation

Precautions:

Do not perform the pose if you are a beginner and have no one to guide you through the poses.If you are suffering from injuries to the spine, it is best that you avoid the pose altogether.Since the pose is known to put pressure on the abdominal region, it is best that you stay away from the pose if you are pregnant.

Position:

The preparatory poses are known to help in preparing the body to perform the more complicated poses in yoga. They loosen the muscles and make the body more flexible. Some of the preparatory poses include